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INVASION 



TERRITORY OF ILABIMA, 



ONE THOUSAND SPANIAEDS, 



IF[E[1[S)Q[N]A[M1© ©I S©T@3 



IN 1540. 



BY AliHEfi^T jr.- PICKETT. 




MO??f?ibMERY : 

PPiIITED BY ?.B.fTTAI & IE WOLF. 
; id. 



TO THE PUBLIC 



The history of Alabama, from the early period of 1540 until the close of the 
year 1820, lias been written by the undersigned. If now published, it would form 
two volumes of five hundred pages eacli. Hi is now engaged in revising it for 
publication. It has been a work of immense labor, and attended with considerable 
outlay in money. If he had known, in the first instance, the cost and ditEculty in 
procuring oral information; tlie time required to collect manuscript, documentary 
and book evidence, and to reduce the whole into historical form, he would scarcely 
have imposed upon himself such a task. But nov/ that it is accomplished, by 
rescuing from oblivion the most important information, he does not regret tlic 
completion of a work which must be a benefit to his countrymen and to posterity. 

The undersigned has not written the History of Alabama for pecuniary gain. 
His time and labor have been given voluntarily and freely to the public. All he 
asks is the return of the actual outlay, by the sale of the work. He feels assured 
that the people of Alabama, who possess a co.mmendable state pride, will favor 
the enterprise to that extent. 

In the meantime the undersigned respectfully invites the attention of his fellow- 
citizens of this State, and of the Union, to the following pamphlet, entitled the " In- 
vasion of Alabama by De Soto in 1540"; being the first chapter of the forthcom- 
ing work. He has been for years engaged in procuring the most accurate infor- 
niatioQ in regard to De Soto's route through Alabama. Before the Indians 
removed to Arkansas:, he conversed with the oldest and most reliable of them, 
and since then with intelligent old ludi m countrymen, few of whom yet linger iu 
tiie world. He has not only made himself familiar with the Indian tradition upon 
this point, but has the evidence of General Alexander McGillivray, a talented and 
learned Creek Indian, well skilled in historical and political knowledge, and who 
ruled this country with eminent ability from 1775 to 1793. The undersigned has 
also been suffered to peruse the manuscript history of the Muscogee Indians, 
written by George Stiggins, a half breed Indian, wlio received in his boyhood 
some particulars of tlie route of De Soto from the most ancient Indians. In 
addition to all these, the undersigned has obtained the oldest French and 
Spanish maps of tliis country, upon -which the towns of Coosa, Tallise, and others 
througli which De Soto passed, are properly laid down. He is particular to men- 
tion his sources of information, to satisfy the public upon the correctness of the 
following journal ; for many American writers, unacquainted Avith the geography 
of this state and the Indian names, have prodigiously erred in conducting De Soto 
into Teuuessee and Kentucky. Others have incorrectly carried him from the head 



U TO THE PUBLIC. 

■waters of tlio Coosa across to those of the Warrior, anJ thence Lj the moJern city 
of Tuscaloosa. Tiieodore Irving, in his Eonquest of Florida, has in a great measure 
been accurate and faithful in describing the route of De Soto and the incidents 
attending it. Our own able, accomplished writer and earliest pioneer in Alabama 
history, tlie Hon. A. B. Meek, of Mobile, has also given ,i condensed but graphic 
account of this expedition, published in a monthly Magazine entitled "The South- 
ern," Tuscaloosa, 1S39. He is generally correct as to De Soto's route, and entirely 
80 in regard to thj charactor of the invasion and those particulars of it which he 
de.scribes. 

But while the undersigned has boon aided by tlie Indian tradition, an accurate 
knowledge of the country, and other collateral proof, in the following narrative, 
his main reliance has been upon the -original journals of De Soto. Of all historic 
evidence, a daily journal kept by a disinterested person is the most reliable. 
Such the imdersigned believes to have been the character of tlie writers who made 
notes upon the expedition of De Soto. Thcj- entered in their note books the day of 
the month, and even the daj^ of the week, of each day's march, when anytliing par- 
ticular happened. Although the undersigned has adopted more generally the 
journal of the Portuguese oye-witness rather than the other, in regard to marches 
and the names of towns, yet he is not prepared to agree with most American authors 
in condeming the other, as less accurate and the least to be relied on in all 
respects. Indeed, he has been astonished that the journals of the expedition 
should liave so well agreed. Th.ey, however, dift'er sometimes, but not more than 
other writers who pass through the same scenes. 

One of these journals was written by a cavalier attached to De Soto's expedi- 
tion, who was a native of Elvas in Portugal. He finished his narrative the 10th 
February, 1557, in the city of Evora, and it was printed in the house of Andrew 
de Burgos, printer and gentleman of tlie Lord Cardinal, the Infanta, It was 
translated into English by Richard Hakluyt in 1609, and is to be found in the 
supplementary volume of his voyages and discoveries, London 1812. It is also 
published at length in the Historical Collections of Peter Force of Washington city. 

The other journal of the expedition of De Soto, in the possession of the under- 
signed, was written by the Inca Garcellasso de la Vega, a Peruvian by birth and 
a native of the city of Cuzco. His father was a Spaniard of noble blood, and his 
mother the sister of Capac, one of the Indian sovreigns of Peru. Garcellasso was 
a distingiiishad witer of that age; he had heard of the remarkable invasion of 
Florida by De Soto, and ho applied himself diligently to obtain the facts. He 
found out an intelligent cavalisr of that expedition, with whom he had minute con- 
versations of all the particulars of it. In addition to this, journals were placed in 
his hands, written in the camp of De Soto, one by Alonzo de Carmona, a native 
of the town of Priego, and the other by Juan Coles, a native of Zafra. Garcellasso 
published his work at an early period in Spanish. It has been translated into 
French, but never into English. The copy in our hands is entitled "Historic de la 
Conqueste de la Floride ou relation, do ce qui c'est passe dans la decouvte de ce 
pais, par Ferdinand De Soto, Comj^osee on Espagnol. par L' Tncn O •■ /"lasso De 

La Vega, ot raduite en Francois, p"- 'Z.. '. . . ... z^ Jc'j i tames, .j. 

Leade, 1731." 

*.• luiout further tresspass upon the patience of the rcaucr, tl:e u;' -rsi^iTrd 
Bub.jcribes himself, 

Rc?pi2cciui!y, 

A. J. PICKETT. 



The first discovery of Alabama was by Ferdinand De 
Soto, a native of Spain, and the son of a squire ol' Xerez of 
Badajos. When a youth he went to Peru, enlisted under 
Pizarro, and, with no property but his sword, won distin- 
guished military reputation. Returning to his native coun- 
try, and making an imposing appearance at court, he 
was created Governor of Cuba and Adalantado of Florida. 
In the unknown regions of the latter, he resolved to embark 
his vast wealth in conquering a people whom he believed to 
possess more gold than he had beheld in South America. 
Young men of the best blood in Spain and Portugal sold their 
houses and vineyards and flocked to his standard. Soon he 
was surrounded b_y an army uf six hundred chosen men, with 
whom, in April 1538, he put to sea over the bar of San Lu- 
car de Barremeda. Arriving at Cuba, a year was consumed 
in arranging the affairs of his government, and in prepara- 
tions for the great enterprise before him.^ At the end of that 
period, his wile, Donna Isabel de Bobadllla, and the Lieu- 
tenant Governor were left in charge of the island, and De 
Soto, on the 12th of May, 1539, sailed for Florida with a fleet 
of nine vessels, five large ships, besides some caravals and 
brigantines. 

On the 30th May, he pitched his camp upon the shore 
of Tampa Bay, with an army now increased to one thousand 
men. Sending out detachments to capture Indians, from 
whom he could learn something of the country, he found 
them skilful with the bow and too wily to be easily taken. 
In one of these sallies the soldiers, under Baltasar de Galle- 
gos, charged upon a small number of Indians, and one of 
them cried out, "I am a christian, slay me not." Instantly 
Alvaro Nieto, a stout trooper, drew back his lance, lifted the 
unknown man up behind him, and pranced off to join his 
comrades. In 1528, Panfilo de Narvaez attempted to over- 
run this country with a large expedition, but after fruitless 
wanderings reached Apalache without finding gold, and from 
thence went to St. Marks, where his famished troops em- 



1 Portuguese Narrative, pp. 695-700. Garcellasso de la Vega, pp. 59-60. 



6 DE SOTO S INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

barked for Cuba, in rude and hastily constructed boats, which 
were soon swallowed by the waves'.^ Jean Ortiz, the person 
taken prisoner, who now in all respects resembled a savage, 
was a native of Seville, in Spain. When a youth, he came 
to this coast in a brigantine with others, in search of Nar- 
vaez, was captured by the Indians, who were about to burn 
him to death, when he was saved by the entreaties of the 
daughter of the chief Ucita. In the first portion of his slave- 
ry he was treated with barbarity, and compelled to guard 
night and day a lonely temple in which was deposited the 
dead. Twelve years a prisoner among these Indians, he was 
joyfully hastening to the camp of De Soto, when the Casti- 
lian words which he imploringly uttered arrested the terri- 
ble lance of Alvaro Nieto.- 

Gratified at the appearance of Jean Ortiz, who became his 
interpreter, De Soto gave him clothes and arms, and placed 
him upon a good charger. The Adalantado was now ready 
to penetrate the interior. His troops were provided with 
helmets, breastplates, shields, coats of mail, to repel the ar- 
rows of the Indians; swords, Biscayan lances, rude guns 
called arqubuses, cross-bows and one piece of artillery. 
His cavaliers, mounted upon two hundred and thirteen horses, 
were the most gallant and graceful men of Spain. Gray- 
hounds, of the fleetness of the wind, were ready to be turned 
loose upon the retreating savages, and blood-hounds to de- 
vour them if it became necessary. To secure the unhappy 
Indian, handcuffs, chains and neck-collars abounded in the 
camp. Workmen of every trade, with their various tools, 
and men of science with their philosophical instruments, and 
crucibles for refining gold, were in attendance. Tons of iron 
and steel, much other metal, various merchandize, and pro- 
visions to last two years, were provided by the munificence 
of the commander and his followers. A large drove of hogs, 
which strangely multiplied upon the route, together with cat- 
tle and mules, were also attached to the expedition. The 

1 A history of the expedition of Narvaez, in miiny respects like that of De Soto, 
will be foiuid in Barcia, vol. 1, fulio edition, Madrid 1149, entitled " Navfragios de 
Alvar Nunez Cabzea de vaoa, Y Relacion de la Jornada que hizo a la P^lorida, 
Con el Adelentado Panfilo de Navaez." See also, Herrera's History of America, 
vol. 4, pp. 27-38 ; vol. 5, pp. 91-105— London, 1740. 

2 Portuguese Narrative, pp. 702-704. Garcellasso, pp 45-64. 



DE SOTO S INVASION OF ALABAMA. 7 

establishment of the catholic religion appeared to have been 
one of its objects. Associated with the army were twelve 
priests, eight clergymen of inferior rank, and four monks, 
most of them relatives of the superior ofiicers, with their 
robes, holy relics, and sacramental bread and wine. Never 
was an expedition more complete, owing to the experience 
of De Soto, who, upon the plains of Pern, rode down hun- 
dreds in his powerful charges, pouring out streams of savage 
blood with his sweeping sword. Confined to the history of 
a single State, it is not within our scope to detail the bloody 
engagements which attended the wanderings of De Soto in 
the forests of the now State of Florida. Everywhere, but 
chiefly in narrow defiles, the natives showered upon the in- 
vaders clouds of arrows and dreadful missiles. Populous iti 
numbers, and revengeful at the wanton cruelty of Narvaez, 
they had determined to fight De Soto until his army was 
captured or driven from the soil. No where in Florida did 
he find peace. His gallant troops, however, were successful. 
The Indians were often put to flight, and as often captured, 
Avere laden with chains, and the baggage of the expedition 
unfeelingly thrown upon their backs. At the camp they 
were made to pound corn and perform the most servile 

drudgery. 

Cutting his way from Tampa Bay, De Soto arrived at An- 
aica Apalache, in the neighborhood of Tallahassee, the 27th 
October, 1539. Then, as it is yet, a fertile region, he drew 
from this town and those which surround it breadstufFs to last 
him duri)ig the winter. The sea, only thirty miles distant, was 
explored by a detachment, and near the modern St. Marks 
the bones of horses, hewn timbers, and other evidences of 
Narvaez were traced, indicating that to be the place from 
which he launched his boats for Havana. During the win- 
ter, all the detachments were attacked by the Indians in their 
various expeditions, and the main camp at Apalache was 
harassed in the fiercest manner day and night. Captain 
Francisco Maldinado returned in February, having been sent 
in search of a good port, and reported that he had discovered 
the Bay of Ochus — now Pensacola — with a deep channel, 
protected from the winds on all sides, and distant from Apa- 
lache one hundred and eighty miles to the west. Delighted at 



8 DE SOTO S INVASION OF ALABAiMA. 

this good news, which enabled De Soto to make a wide cir- 
cuit in the interior, he ordered Maldinado to put to sea in the 
brigantines then lying in the Apalache Bay ; to sail for Ha- 
vana and return from thence with a fleet freighted with sup- 
plies to Ochus, where the expedition would join him in 
October.^ 

Learning from an Indian slave that a country to the north- 
east abounded in gold, De Soto set out in that direction on 
the 3d of March, 1540. He entered the -territory of Georgia 
at the south-western border, crossed the 01:mulgee, Oconee 
•and Ogechee, and marched upon the banks of the Savannah. 
The Georgia Indians, whom no preceding exploring expedi- 
tion had molested, treated the Spaniards with kindness and 
warm hospitality. At Cutifachique, where the expedition 
had arrived, were seen a people richer, better dressed and 
more amicable than any upon the march. The Indians in 
Georgia and Florida at this early period lived in the same 
fashioned houses. Upon the coast they were built of wood, 
thatched with straw and covered with palm leaves. Fui- 
ther in the interior they were covered with reeds in the man- 
ner of tiles. In many of the towns the chiefs lived upon high 
artificial mounds, generally erected in the bottom lands. 
The tops of these mounds contained from ten to twenty 
houses, occupied by the chief, his family and attendants. 
They were steep and inaccessible all round, except on one 
side, where steps were cut, flanked with poles driven close 
together and others laid horizontally, forming a kind of 
wooden stair-vi'ay about fifteen feet wide, leading up to the 
houses. Below, in the plain, was usually a public square, 
around which lived the chief men, while the common people 
placed their wigwams as near the mound as possible. These 
towns presented a romantic and singular appearance, sus- 
taining the royal family far above the humbler dwellings of 
the masses. Their houses for winter were daubed with clay, 
entered by a low and small door, while a hole in the roof let 
out the smoke. Others for summer sat upon posts and were 
open at the sides. The barns in which they stored their corn 
were made of wood, with floors of cane hurdles. The whole 



1 Portuguese Narrative, pp. 709-710. Garcellusso, pp. 211-214. 



DE SOTO S INVASION OF ALABAMA. 



country was divided into provinces of great extent, and each 
ruled by a supreme lord, with many sub-chiefs. In every 
large town was a temple, situated in some lone spot in the 
outskirts, in which were deposited the dead, contained in 
small wooden boxes, the loose lids of which Avere kept 
down by weights. These charnel houses were watched 
day and night by vigilant keepers. Many of them contained 
valuable property belonging to the dead ; and from the one 
at Cutifachique upon the Savannah, De Soto took three 
hundred and ninety-two pounds of pearls, at the request of 
the princess who ruled that country. The dress of the females 
consisted of a mantle thrown over the shoulders, Math one 
arm exposed, while another mantle encircled the body, They 
were made of the inner bai'k of trees and a species of flax. 
The men were appareled with these mantles thrown over 
the shoulder, and deer skin flaps completed their costume. 
Some of the better classes wore moccasins and leggings of 
the same. Their war implements consisted of clubs and 
bows, with quivers containing terrible arrows, pointed with 
flints. About Apalache they scalped those whom they slew, 
with some kind of sharp instrument. In color, form, and 
general habits they were precisely like the Indians of our 
day, but far more numerous.^ 

De Soto left Cutifachique, upon the Savannah, the 3d of 
May 1540, and pursuing a northern direction arrived at the 
town Xualla, probably in Habersham county. He had now 
reached the Cherokee country, whither he had been led in 
search of gold. Marching immediately west from Xualla, 
and crossing the territory of northern Georgia, the expedition 
struck the head waters of the Coosa, and came upon the 
town of Gauxule, containing three hundred houses, situated 
between several streams, which had their soui-ces in the sur- 
rounding mountains. The chief met D.e Soto with five hun- 
dred warriors, appareled in light costume, after the fashion 
of the country, and conducted him to his own house, surren- 
dered at the instance of his wife, and which stood upon a 
mound, surrounded by a terrace wide enough for six men to 
promenade abreast.- Having but little corn for the famished 

1 Portuguese Narrative, p. 7 1 1 . Garcellasso, pp. 136-13T. 2 Garcellasso, p. 294 . 



10 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

troops, the natives collrcted and gave them three hundred 
dogs, which the Spaniards had been accustomed to eat in the 
pine barrens of lower Georgia, "esteeming them as though 
they had been fat wethers."^ Gaining much information 
about the country in converrjations with the chief, conducted 
by the interpreter, Jean Ortiz, after the fourth day's sojourn at 
Gauxule, the governor marched to the town of Conasauga, ia 
the present county of Murray, Georgia. Twenty-two of these 
hospitable Indians met him on the route with baskets of 
mulberries. The country abounded with that fruit, together 
with nuts and plums, which grew luxuriantly in the fields." 
Crossing the Conasauga creek and journeying down the 
western banks, the Spaniards found it, to increase in size, 
and being joined by other streams grew "larger than the 
Guadalquiver, which passes by Seville."^ This was the Oos- 
tanaula, and following its western side, after a march of 
five days, De Soto advanced within seven miles of Chiaha, 
where he w^as met by fifteen Indians laden with corn, with 
a message from the chief inviting him to hasten to his capi- 
tal, where abundant supplies awaited him. Soon the eager 
Spaniards stood before the town, which is the site of the 
modern Rome. 

According to both journals of the expedition of De Soto, 
the Indian town of Ciiiaha stood upon an island. In the 
language of the Portuguese Gentleman it was situated "be- 
tween two arms of a river, and was seated nigh one of them. 
The river divideth itself two cross-bow shot above the town, 
and meeteth again a league beneath the same. The plain 
between the branches is sometimes one cross-bow shot, and 
sometimes two cross-bow shot over.'"^ The direction of the 
march from Conasauga, the time occupied and the descrip- 
tion of the country, afford conclusive proof that De Soto had 
now reached the confluence of the Oostanaula and Etowah, 
which make the Coosa. Having advanced down the west- 
ern side of the former, the authors supposed the peninsula 
to be an island. On the 5lh of June 1540 the Governor 
crossed over to Chiaha, in canoes and upon rafts prepared by 



1 Portuguese Narrative, p. 112. 3 Garcellasso, p. 295. 

2 Portuguese Narrative, p. 717. 4 Portuguese Narrative, p. 717. 



DE SOTO S IXVASIOX OF ALABAMA. i 

the Indians.^ The noble young Chief received De Soto wil 
unaffected joy, and made him the following address : 

Mighty Chief: nothing could have made me so happy as ( 
be the means of serving you and your warriors. You sent m 
word from Gauxule to have corn collected to last your arm; 
two months. Here I have twenty barns full of the bes 
which the country can afford. If I have not met your wishes 
respect my tender age, and receive my good will to do for 
you whatever I am able.- The Governor responded in a kind 
manner, and was then conducted to the Chief's own house, 
prepared for his accommodation. 

Chiaha contained a great quantity of bear's oil in gourds, 
and walnut oil as clear as butter and equally palatable ; and 
for the only time upon the entire route were seen pots of 
honey. The Spaniards, irregularly quartered in the fields* 
and scattered about at their will, reposed under trees and 
loitered upon the banks of the rivers. The horses, reduced in 
flesh and unfit for battle, grazed upon the meadows. Unac- 
customed to allow such loose discipline, De Soto now winked 
at it, for the natives were friendhs and every soul in the camp 
needed repose. One day, the Chief presented the Governor 
with a string of peals, two yards in length and as large as 
filberds, for which he received in return pieces of velvet and 
other cloth much esteemed by the Indians. He said that the 
temple of this town where the remains of his ancestors were 
deposited, contained a vast quantity of these valuables. He 
invited his distinguished guest to take from it as many as he 
desired. But the latter declined, remarking, that he wished 
to appropriate nothing to himself from so sacred a place. 
The Chief, to gratify him in regard to the manner of obtain- 
ing these peals, imtnediately dispatched some of his subjects 
in four canoes with instructions to fish all night for the oys- 
ters which contained them. In the morning he caused a fire 
to be made upon the bank. The canoes returned laden, and 
the natives throwing the oysters upon the glowing coals suc- 
ceeded in finding many pearls the size of peas, which De 
Soto pronounced beautiiul, but for the fire which had robbed 
them of some of their brilliancy. A soldier in eating some 

1 Garcellasso, p. 295. 2 Tortuguese Narrative, p. 117. 



12 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

of the oysters, or rather muscles, found one of great size un- 
injured, and offered it to the Conrimander for Donna Isabel. 
He declined the kindness intended his wife, and urged the 
generous fellow to keep it to buy horses at Havana. Con- 
noiseurs in camp valued it at four hundred ducats.' While 
here, a cavalier named Louis Bravo de Xeres, walking one 
day upon the bank of the river, threw his lance at a dog 
which suddenly disappeared under the bluff. Coming up to 
recover his weapon, he found to his horror that it had pierced 
the temple of Jean Mateosand killed him. The poor man was 
quietly fishing on ihe margin of the stream, and little sus- 
pecting that death was at hand. The accident caused deep 
regret in the camp, the deceased being much esteemed, and 
having the only gray head in the army, was called, by way 
of pleasantry, Father Mateos.'-^ 

About this time a principal Indian from Costa, a town be- 
low, informed De Soto that in the mountains to the north, 
at a place called Chisca were mines of copper, and of a yel- 
low metal still liner and softer. Having seen upon the Sa- 
vannah, copper hatchets, supposed to be mixed with gold, 
his attention was deeply aroused upon the subject. Villabos 
and Silvera, two fearless soldiers, volunteered to explore that 
region. Furnished with guides by the Chief of Chiaha, they 
departed upon their perilous journey. 

The Spaniards had basked upon the delightful spot where 
now stands the town of Rome, for the space of thirty days. 
The horses had recruited and the troops had grown vigorous 
and ready for desperate deeds. De Soto demanded of the 
hospitable Chief, through the persuasion of some of his un- 
principled officers, a number of females to accompany them 
in their wanderings. That night the inhabitants quietly left 



1 Garcellasso, p. 297. The Oyster mentioned was the muscle to be found in all 
the rivers of Alabama. Heaps of muscle shells are now to be seen on our river 
banks wherever Indians used to live. They were much used by the ancient 
Indians for some purpose, and old warriors have informed me that their ancestors 
once used the shells to temper the clay with wliich they made their vessels. 
]?ut as thousands of tlie shells lie banked up, some deep in the j^round, we mav 
also suppose that the Indians in De Soto's time, every wiierc in Ahibama, obtained 
pearls from them. There can be no doubt about tlie quantit}' of pearls found in 
tliis State and Georgia, in 1540, but they were of a coarser and more valueless 
kind than the Spaniards supposed. The Indians used to perforate tliem with a 
lieated copper spindle, and string them around their necks and arms like beads— 
uthers made toy babies and birds of them. 

2 Garcellasso, p. 298. 



DE SOTO S INVASrOX OF ALABAMA. 13 

the town and hid themselves in the bordering fores! s. The 
Chief entreated the Governor not to hold him responsible for 
their conduct, for during his minority an arbitrary uncle ruled 
them with a despotic will. With sixty troopers De Soto 
ravaged the surrounding country, and. provoked at not find- 
ing the fugitives, laid waste their flourishing fitdds of corn. 
When afterwards informed that men only would be required 
to bear the baggage, the Indians returned to Chiaha, appolo- 
gised for their flight and yielded to the last proposition.^ De 
Soto then broke up his camp, re-crossed the Oostanaula, and 
marched down the west side of the Coosa, leaving the gene- 
rous people of Chiaha well satisfied with presents. On the 
2d July, and after seven days slow march, he entered the 
town of Costa.- The Spaniards were now in Alabama, in 
the territory embraced in the couni}' of Cherokee, and by the 
side of the Coosa, one of our noblest streams. Never before 
had our soil been tread by European feet ! Never before 
had our natives beheld white faces, long beards, strange ap- 
parel, glittering armor, and, stranger than all, the singular 
animals bestrode bj' the dashing cavaliers! De Solo had 
discovered Alabama, not by sea, but after dangerous and dif- 
ficult marches had penetrated her north-eastern border with 
a splendid and' well-equipped land expedition! The Atlan- 
tic States were quietly discovered by voyngers entering their 
harbors. Alabama was marched upon by an army, whose 
soldiers sickened with famine upon the barrens of Georgia, 
and left tracks of blood upon the soil of Florida! 

Commanding his camp to be pitched two cross-bow shots 
from the town, De Soto, with eight men of his guard, ap- 
proached the Chief of Costa, who received him with appar- 
ent friendship. While conversing together, some unscrupu- 
lous footmen entered the town and plundered several of the 
houses. The justly incensed Indians fell upon them with 
their clubs. Seeing himself surrounded by the natives and 
in groat personal danger, the Governor seized a cudgel, .and, 
with his usual presence of" mind, commenced beating his own 
men. The savages observing that he took iheir part, became 
pacified for a moment. In the mean time taking the Chief 

1 Portuguese Narrative, pp. 718-719. 2 Portuguese Narrative, pp. 718-719. 



14 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

by the hand, he led him with flattering words towards the 
camp, where he was presently surrounded by a guard and 
held as a hostage.^ The Spaniards remained under arms all 
night. Fifteen hundred Indians, armed complete, often made 
dispositions to charge upon them, vociferating angry and in- 
sulting language. Averse to war since he was sj repeated- 
ly attacked by the Floridians, De Soto restrained his anxious 
troops. His coolness, together with the influence of a promi- 
nent Indian who followed him from Chiaha, put an end to 
the serious affair.- Three days after this Yillabos and Silve- 
ra returned from Chisca. They passed into the mountains, 
found no gold, but a country abounding with lofty hills and 
stupendous rocks. Dispirited, they returned to a poor 
town where the inhabitants gave them a buffalo robe, which 
they supposed once covered a tremendous animal, partaking 
of the qualities of the ox and the sheep.^ According to Gar- 
cellasso, the mines which they reached w-ere of a highly col- 
ored copper, and were doubtless situated in the territorv of 
the county of DeKalb. The sick, who were placed in canoes 
at Chiaha, had by this time arrived down the river. Fur- 
nished with burthen carriers by the Chief, who was to the 
last hour held a prisoner, the Governor left Costa on the 
0th of July 1540, and crossed over to the east side of the Coosa, 
upon rafts and canoes. Jt-'roceeding down its eastern bank, 
he encamped the first night at the townof Talie. The Chief 
came forth to receive him, and in a formal speech begged 
him to command his services. Here 'he Spaniards remained 
two days, sharing the hospitality of the natives. Upon their 
departure they were supplied with two women and ibur 
men. Indeed De Soto brought from the forests of Florida 
over five hundred unhappy men and women, secured with 
chains, driven ly keepers, and made to transport the effects 
of the expedition. When any of them became sick, died or 
escaped, it was his policy to supply their places at the first 
town upon which he marched. He always, how^ever, dis- 
tributed among the principal Indians presents, which were 
gratifying to them, and left at many of the towns pairs of 



IPortuguese Narrative, pp. '(18-719. 2 Garcillasso, p. 300, 
S Portuguese Narrative, p. 7li). 



DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 15 

swine to stock the country. The expedition now began to 
enter the far-famed province of Coosa, the beauty and fertility 
of which were known to all the Indians even upon the sea- 
side. Garcellasso asserts that it extended three hundred 
miles, and both the authors agree that it reached over a ter- 
ritory now embraced in the counties of Cherokee, Benton, 
Talladega and Coosa. Continuing through the rich lands of 
Benton, the expedition passed many towns subject to the 
Chief of Coosa. Every day they met ambassadors, " one 
going and another coming," by which De Soto was assured 
of a hearty welcome at the capital.^ With joylul faces the 
Indians rushed to his lines eveiy mile upon the route, fur- 
nishing supplies and assisting the troops from one town to 
another. The same generous reception attended him upon 
entering the soil of the county of Talladega. The hospitali- 
ty of the Coosas surpassed that of any people whom he had 
yet discovered. The trail was lined with towns, villages 
and hamlets, and " many sown fields which reached from 
one to the other."- With a delightful climate, and abounding 
v/ith fine meadows and beautiful little rivers, this region 
was charming to the eyes of De Soto and his followers. 
The numerous barns were full of corn, while acres of that 
which was growing bent to the wa.rm rays of the sun and 
rustled in the breeze. In the plains were plum trees pecu- 
liar to the country, and others resembling those of Spain. 
Wild fruit clambered to the tops of the loftiest trees, and 
lower branches were laden with delicious Isabella grapes. 
On the 26th of July 1510, the army came in sight of the 
town of Coosa. Far in the outskirts, De Soto was met by 
the Chief, seated upon a cushion, and riding in a chair sup- 
ported upon the shoulders of four of his chief men. One 
thousand warriors, tall, active, sprightly and admirably pro- 
portioned, wath large plumes of various colors in their heads, 
followed him, marching in regular order. His dress con- 
sisted of a splendid mantle of Martin skins, thrown grace- 
fully over his shoulder, while his head was adorned with a 
diadem of brilliant feathers. Around him many Indians raised 
their voices in song, and others made music upon flutes.^ 



1 Portuguse Narrative, p, 719. 2 Portuguese Narrative p. 719 3 Garcellasso, 300. 



16 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

The steel-clad warriors of Spain, with their glitering armor, 
scarcely equaled the magnilicent disphiy made by these na- 
tives of Alabama. The Chief, receiving De Soto with the 
warmth of a generous heart, made him the following speech : 

Mighty Chief! above all others of the earth! Although I 
come now to receive you, yet I received you many days ago 
deep in my heart. If I had the whole world it would not give 
me as much pleasure as I now enjoy at the presence of your- 
self and your incomparable warriors. My person, lands and 
subjects are at your service. I will now march you to your 
quarters with playing and singing.^ 

De Soto responded in his best style, after which he ad- 
vanced to the town, conversing with the Chief, who rode in 
his sedan chair, while the lofty Spaniard sat upon his fiery- 
steed. The royal house was set apart for the accommoda- 
tion of the Adalantado and one half of the other houses were 
surrendered to the troops. The town of Coosa was situated 
upon the east bank of the river of that name, between the 
mouths of the two creeks, now known as Talladega and 
Tallasehatchee, one of which is sometimes called Kiamul- 
gee.- It contained five hundred houses, and was the capital 
of this rich and extensive province. 

The Chief of Coosa was twenty-six years of age, well- 
formed, intelligent, with a face beautifully expressive, and 
a heart honest and generous. He always dined with De Soto. 
One day he rose from the table and in an earnest manner 
besought the Governor to select a region any where in his 



1 Portuguese F.i::ai;ive, } p. 'i'Ll'-'l,.^. 

2 In 1798, Col. Benjamin Hawkins, then Creelc as^en*, visited the Coosa toTvn, 
now embraced in the county of Talladef^a. He accurately describes the inhabi- 
tants and the location of the t^vvn, which he says was situated on the bank 
of the Coosa, between the mouths of two creeks, tlie Indian names of which 
trere Natche and Ufaula. When flie French expelled the Natchez from the 
Mississippi in 1730, some of that tribe sought refuge among the Talladegas — 
hence the name of one of these creeks in Hnwkiiis' day. When the Ameri- 
cans in 18S2 began to settle this country, they changed the name of these 
creeks to Talladega, or Kiamulgee, and Tallasahatchee. In adihticn to tlie testi- 
mony of Col. Hawkins, many old Indian countrymen have informed me that here 
was the site of the Coosa town, which was known by that name iv. their early 
days. Several ancient French and Spanish maps, in my possesKiou, lay down the 
town of Coosa at the place described. 

See Hawkins' sketch of the Creek Country in 1798-1799, published by the 
historical society of Georgia, Savannah 1848. I return my sincere thanks to Mr. 
T. K. Tefft, of Savannah, an intelligent member of that society, for sen<ling me a 
copy of Hawkins, together with many other acts of disinterested kindness. 



DE SOTOS INVASION OF ALABAMA. 17 

dominions, and immediately establish upon it a large Spanish 
colony. De Soto had contemplated peopling some beautiful 
country, and was better pleased with this section than any 
other, but his imagination still poinied him to some gold re- 
gion ]ike Peru. He returned the Chief his profound thanks, 
adduced many reasons for declining the liberal ofler, among 
others, that Maidinado's ships would await him at the bay 
ofPensacola. Yet in the face of all this kindness, the po- 
litic and suspicious De Soto kept the Chief about his person, 
as a hostage, to preserve peace among the Indians, arid to 
extort slaves and provisions. Enraged at the imprisonment 
of their Chief, the Indians fled to the woods to prepare for 
war. Four captains with their companies were dispatched 
in different directions, in persuit. and returned with many 
women and men in chains. Some of the principal of these 
were released at the entreaty of the Chief, while others were 
carried off upon the expedition, laden with irons and bag- 
gage, and those who were not destroyed at the battle of 
Maubila. were conducted far beyond the Mi-sissippi river.^ 
The Indians returned from the forest, and remained at 
peace with tlie Spaniards, but were still dissatisfied at the 
restrictions imposed upon the liberties of their Chief. After 
twenty-five days had been passed at the capital of Coosa, 
De Soto marched in the direction of the Tallapoosa, leaving 
behind a christian negro, too sick to travel, whom the Indians 
desired to retain among th^m on account of his singular hair 
and suble coujplexion. He recovered, and was doubtless 
the distant ancestor of the dark-colored savages seen in that 
region in more modern times.^ The first day the army 
passed through the large town of Tallemuchasa, within a 
few hours after it had been abandoned by its inhabitants. 

1 Portuguese Narrative, p. 120. 

2 The iieii;ro left at Coosa was not the only memorial of De Soto that re-, 
mained witii tiiese people. George Stiggins, whot^e mother was a Natciiez Indian, 
and whose fatlier was a Scotcliman, was born in the Talladega coumry. He 
was a fair Euglisli scholar, and a pretty good writer. He liad been for yeans 
engaged in writing a history of the Greeks, and died some years ago, leaving it 
in an unfinished state. His son permitted me to peruse it one day. Stiggins as- 
serts that the Talladegas had, at a late day, a brass kettle-drum and several shields 
which once belonged to the army of De Soto, and tliat he had often seen them. 
The Coosas used them as trophies in their annual festivals. Besiiies these, De 
Soto left hogs and sometimes cattle, a mong the Alabama towns, and such is the 
origin of these animals among the Indians. Horses and mules were loo valuable 
to be giveu away. 

2 



18 DE SOTo'h invasion of ALABAMy\. 

The next day the town of Utau.a was reached, where De 
Soto encamped six days, awaiiing the abatement of the 
stream which ran by it, now violenlly swollen by incessant 
rains. As the expedition had not crossed any stieam since 
leaving Coosa, it is probable the one alluded to was the 
modern Tallasahatcha. The march was continued to UI- 
lebahale, situated upon Hatchet creek, which was called a 
"small river." The town was surrounded by a wall com- 
posed of tw'o rows of posts driven deep in the ground, with 
poles laid horizontally between them, the. inner and outside 
of the frame work neatly sluccofd with clay and straw. 
Port-holes were left at proper distances, forming a defence 
'* as high as a lance." Such was the character of the Indian 
fortifications from this place onward. In consequence of 
the duress of Coosa, whom De Soto carried along with him, 
but treate;! with respect and kindness, the Indians of Ulle- 
bahale were in arms. Before the Spaniards entered the 
suburbs, twelve principal men, arnjed with bows, with lofty 
plumes upon their heads, advanced and volunteered to 
rescue their beloved Chief by arraying a formidable force ; 
but he dissuaded them from it. On the opposite side of the 
creek lived a sub-Chief, who furnished De Soto with thirty 
women for slaves, and to carry burthens. Then the Ada- 
lantado pursued his wanderings, leaving behind Mansano, a 
native of Salamanca, of noble parentage, who was lost 
while rambling in the hills for grapes, which were in great 
abundance. The route lay along the modern Socapatoy 
region, in the county of Coosa. The expedition passed the 
town of Toase and several others subject to the chief of 
Tallise, and arrived at the great town of that name on the 
18th September, 1,540. 

Tallise was an extensive town, the principal part of which 
was encompassed by a wall, similar tt) that just described, 
with the addition of terraces. It reposed upon a point of 
land "almost surrounded by a main river," which was the 
Tallapoosa.^ Extensive fields of corn reached up and down 



I Same years after De Suto passed through this country, the Muscogees or 
Creeks came from the Mexicin Empire, of which ihey were subjects, ami overrun 
ail East Alaljama ami the greater portion of Georgia, killing and making slaved 
of many of ihe Alabamas, Okmulgees, Ocouees and Uchees, the latter of whom 
then lived near '.he modciu city of Savaimah. Upon the ruins of the Tallise 



DB SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 19 

the banks. On the opposite side were other towns, skirted 
with rich fields laden with heavy ears of maize. The beau- 
tiful river, gliding its silvery waters through these fertile 
lands, and ihe delightful climate, contributed to render the 
whole prospect most pleasing. But the reception of De 
Soto among these people was cool and scarcely civil. Some 
had abandoned their houses at his approach and gone into 
the woods. However, the Chief gave him forty Indians. 
After a few days, a noble looking young savage, of gigantic 
proportions, and with a face extremely handsome and inter- 
esting, visited the marquee. He was the son of Tuscaloosa, 
a potent Chief, whose domains commenced thirty miles 
below, and extended to the distant Tombeckbe. He bore 
an invitation from his father to De Soto to hasten to his 
capital, where he was making preparations to receive him 
upon a magnificent scale, and that he then awaited him 
upon the eastern confines of his territory. The son was 
dispatched with a suitable reply, and presents for the faither. 
Having remained at Tallise twenty days, De Soito dis- 
missed the Chief of Coosa,, with whom he parted upon good 
terms, ciossed the Tallaj>oos-a in canoes and upon rafts, 
marched down the eastern side, and encamped the first 
night at Casista, pr€>bably the site of the modern Autose. 
Delayed ita pass-ing the river, he could not have advanced 
further that day» bi tlie morn.ing the march was resumed. 
During this day a large town was disce-vered,. and at night 
the camp was pitched upon the borders of another. The 
next day, advancing within six miles of the temporary resi- 
dence ol Tuscaloosa, a halt was made in the woods. Louis 
de Moscoso, the camp-master, with fifteen horsemen, was dis- 
patched to inform the Chief of the proximity of the Governor. 
Moscoso found the proud Mobilian seated upon two cush- 
ions placed on a large and elegant matting, upon an eminence 
which commanded a delightful prospect. His numerous 
attendants posted themselves around him, leaving space for 
the nearer position of his chief men. One of these held over 
hia head a round deer-skin shield, with a staff in the middle, 

di^ovwLii by De Soto, the Mut^cogees t)uilt the town of Tookabatcha, but im- 
mediately oppotiitc, across the river, the name of Tallise was preserved until they 
moved to Arkansas in 1836. This ancieut and extensive Indian settlement is 
DOW in large cotton plantaticins. 



20 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

resemblfng an umbrella. Painted with stripes of different 
colors, it was used as a banner in his wars, but was em- 
ployed at present in protecting his head from the rays of the 
sun. Tuscaloosa was forty years of age, of great stature, 
with immense limbs. He was spare around the waist, and 
his whole form admirably proportioned. His countenance 
was handsome, but grave and severe. "He was lord of 
many territories and much people, and was feared by his 
neighbors and subjects." In vain did Moscoso endeavor to 
excite his curiosity, by prancing his horses before him. 
Sometimes he scarcely deigned to raise his eyes, and then 
again he bestowed upon the troopers the most contemptuous 
smiles. Even when De Soto arrived, he preserved the same 
haughty demeanor; but in consideration of his position as 
Commander-in-Chief, he reluctantly advunced, and made 
the following address: 

Mighfy Chief: I bid you welcome. I greet you as I would 
my brother. It is needless to talk long. What I have to 
say can be said in a few words. You shall know how wil- 
ling I am to serve you. I am thankful for the things which 
you have sent me, chiefly because they were yours. I am 
now ready to comply with your desires. 

The Governor replied in true Spanish style, failing not to 
assure the Chief that even in distant Indian countries through 
which he passed, he had heard of his greatness and power. 
This interesting scene occurred below Line Creek, in 
the present county of Montgomery. Both journalists agree 
that De Soto had advanced thirty-six miles below lallise. 
Reposing at this town the space of two days, pre- 
parations were made to advance. An officer Mas sent 
among the horses to find one large enough to uss- 
tain the giant Indian. A large pack horse, the property 
of the Governor, was selected. Appareled in a rich suit 
of scarlet, and cap of the same, given to him by De Soto, 
the Chieftain, who was a head taller than any of his at- 
tendants, mounted upon his horse, with his feet nearly 
trailing on the ground. Onward the lofty and graceful Mobi- 
Jian rode, side by side with the Governor. Marching through 
the territory embraced in the now counties of Montgomery, 
Lt;wndes and the south-eastern part of Dallas, the expedi- 



DB SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 21 

tion arrived at a town called Piache, seated on a peninsula 
formed by the Mendings of a large river, "the same which 
runs by Tallise, but here grown much wider and deeper."^ 
This was the Alabama. On the march hither, a distressing 
disease broke out among the Spaniards for the v.ant of salt. 
The death of several, together with the loathsome condition 
of the sufferers, spread alarm in the camp. Those who 
afterwards used ashes with their food from a weed recom- 
mended by the Indians, escaped the dreadful malady .'^ 

The town of Piache was strongly fortified. Its name is 
probably preserved in a large creek which flows into the 
Alabama on the northern side, called Chilache. The Indians 
having no canoes, soon constructed rafts of dry logs and 
cane, upon which the troops were wafted to the northern or 
western side of the Alabama, according to the conviction of 
the writer, in the upper p art of the county of Wilcox. 

The expedition assumed a southern direction, and marched 
down the western side of the Alabama, over the soil of the 
present county of Wilcox. De Soto began to read the 
Mobilian chief. He was still proud, distant, and evidently 
felt that he was a prisoner. Upon the whole route he had 
been studiously engaged in consulting with his principal 
men, and in constantly sending runners to the capital with 
messages. De Soto suspected that he meditated schemes 
which aimed at the destruction of the Spaniards. His 
suspicions were further awakened when Villabos and 
another cavalier were believed to have been killed by his 
subjects. When asked about them, Tuscaloosa indignantly 
replied, " I am not their keeper." High words ensued 
between him and De Soto; but the latter restrained himself 
until an opportunity offered of taking deep revenge for 
his insolence and the death of the two Spaniards. On 
the third day of the march from Piache they passed through 
many populous towns, well stored with corn, beans, pump- 
kins, and other provisions. In tSie meantpme, Charamilla 
and Vasques, two able and discreet cavaliers, were dis- 
patched in advance to discover if any conspiracy was going 
on at the capital. Before daylight, on the fourth morn- 

1 Garcellasso, p. 310. Portugocse Narjutive, p. 7 22.. 

2 Garcellasso, pp. sm-TiO. 



22 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

ing, De Soto placed himself at the head of one hundred 
horse, and an equal number of foot and marched rapidly in 
that direction with the chief, leaving Moscoso, the camp- 
master, to bring up the larger portion of the troops. At 
eight o'clock the same morning, the 18th October, 1540, 
De Soto and Tuscaloosa arrived at the capital, called Mau- 
bila. It stood by the side of a lar^e river, upon a beautiful 
plain, and consisted of eighty handsome houses, each capa- 
cious enough to contain a thousand men. They all fronted 
a large public square. They were encompassed by a high 
wall, made of immense trunks of trees, set deep in the 
ground, and close together, strengthened with cross-timbers, 
and interwoven with large vines. A thick mud plaster, 
resembling handsome masonry, concealed the wood work, 
while port-holes were abundant, together with towers, capa- 
ble of containing eight men each, at the distance of fifty 
paces apart. An eastern and a western gate opened into 
the town. The writer is satisfied that Maubila w'as upon 
the north bank of the Alabama, and at; a place now called 
Choctaw Bluff, in the county of Clarke, about twentj^-five 
miles above the confluence of the Alabama and Tombeckbe. 
The march from Pi ache, the time occupied, the distance from 
Maubila to the Bay of Pensacola — computed by Garcellasso 
and the Portuguse Gentleman at eighty-five miles — and the 
representations of aged Indians and Indian countrymen, that 
here v^'as fought the great battle between De Soto and the 
brave Mobilians, have forcibly contributed to make that 
impression upon his mind. 

De Soto and Tuscaloosa were ushered into the great pub- 
lic square of Maubila with songs, music upon Indian flutes, 
and the graceful dancing of beautiful brown girls. They 
alighted from their chargers, and seated themselves under a 
•• canopy of estate." Remaining here a short time, the Chief 
requested that he should no longer be held as a hostage, nor 
required to follow the army any further. The Adalantado 
hesitated in reply, which brought Tuscaloosa immediately 
to his feet, who walked off with a lofty and independent 
bearing, and entered one of the houses. De Soto had scarce- 
ly recovered from his surprise, when Jean Ortiz folloM'ed 
the Chief, and announced that breakfast awaited him at (he 



DE SOTo's INVASION OP ALABAMA. 23 

Governor's table. Tuscaloosa refused to return, and added, 
"If your Chief knows what is best for him, he will im.Tie- 
diately take his troops out of my territory." In the meantime, 
Charamilla, one of the spies, informed the Governor that he 
liad discovered over ten thousand men in the houses, the 
subjects of Tuscaloosa and other neighboring Chiefs ; that 
other houses were filled with bows, arrows, stones and clubs; 
that the old women and children had been sent out of town, 
and the Indians were at that moment debating the most 
suitable hour to capture the Spaniards. The General re- 
ceived this startling intelligence with the deepest solicitude. 
He secretly sent word to his men to be ready for an attack. 
Then, anxious to avert a rupture, by regaining possession of 
the person of the Chief, he approached him with smiles and 
kind words, bur. Tuscaloosa scornfully turned his back upon 
him, and was soon lost among the host of excited warriors. 
At that moment, a principal Indian rushed out of the same 
house, and loudly denounced the Spaniards as robbers, 
THIEVES and assassins, who should no longer impose upon 
their great Chief, by depriving him of a liberty with 
which he was born and his fathers before him. His inso- 
lence, and the motions which he made to shoot at a squad 
of Spaniards with a drawn bow, so incensed Baltasar dc 
Gallegos, that with a powerful sweep of his sword, he split 
down his body and let out his bowels! Like bees in a 
swarm, the savages now poured out upon the Spaniards. 
De Soto placed himself at the head of his men, and fought 
face to face with the enemy, retreating slowly and passing 
ihe gate into the plain. His cavalry had rushed to rescue 
their horses, tied outside the walls, some of which the 
Indians came upon in time to kill. Still receding to get out 
of the reach of the enemy, De Soto at length paused at a 
considerable distance upon the plain. The Mobilians seized 
the Indian slaves, packed upon their backs the effects of the 
expedition which had now arrived and lay scattered about, 
drove the poor devils within the walls, knocked off their 
irons, placed bows in their hands, and arrayed them in 
battle against their former masters. In the first sally De 
Soto had five men killed and many wounded, he among the 
latter number. Having captured the baggage, the victors 



24 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

covered the ground in advance of the gate, and rent the air 
virith exulting shouts. At that moment the Governor headed 
his cavalry, and, followed by his footmen, charged upon the 
savage masses, and, with a terrible slaughter, drove them 
back into town. The Indians rushed to the port-holes and 
towers, and shot upon the invaders clouds of arrows, com- 
pelling them again to retire from the walls. A smnll party 
of Spaniards were left in a perilous situation. Three cross- 
bow men, an armed friendly Indian, five of De Soto's guard, 
some servants and two priesrs, not having time to join the 
others when first attacked in the square, took refuge in the 
house set apart for their commander. The savages sought 
an entrance at the door, but these unhappy inmates bravely 
defended it, killing many of the assailants. Others clam- 
bered upon the roof to open the covering, but were as suc- 
cessfully repulsed. Separated from their Iriends by a thick 
wall, and in the midst of thousands of enemies panting to lap 
their blood, their destruction appeared inevitable. During 
the long struggle for existence, the holy Fathers engaged in 
earnest prayer for their deliverance, while the others fought 
with a desperation which rose with the occasion. 

Seeing the Spaniards again retreat, the Indians rushed 
through the gates, and dropping down from the walls, 
engaged fiercely with the soldiers, seizing their sweeping 
swords and piercing lances ! Three long hours were con- 
sumed in the terrible conflict, first one side giving way 
and then another. Occasionally, De Soto was strengthened 
by small squads of horsemen who arrived, and, without 
orders, charged info the midst of the bloody melee. The 
Governor was every where present in the tight, and his 
vigorous arm hewed down the lustiest warriors ! That 
sword which had often been dyed in the blood of Peruvians 
was now crimsoned with the gore of a still braver race I 
The invincible Baltasar de Gallegos, who struck the first 
blow, followed it up, and was only equalled by the com- 
mander in the profuse outpouring of savage blood ! Far on 
the borders of the exciting scene rode his brother. Fray Juan, 
a Dominican Friar, who constantly beckoned him to quit 
the engagement on foot, and take the horse which he be- 
strode, in order to fight the better. But Baltasar, gloating 



DE 80T0S INVASION OF ALABAMA. 



25 



in blood, heeded him not ; when presently an Indian arrow, 
which made a slight wound upon the back of the worthy 
father, retired the latter to a less dangerous distance. In- 
deed, during the whole battle, the Priests kept the plain, 
watched the awful carnage with intense anxiety, and often 
fell upon their knees, imploring Almighty God to give vic- 
tory to the Spaniards! 

At length the matchless daring of De Soto and his troops 
forced the Indians to take a permanent position within Mau- 
bila, closing after them its ponderous gates. The sun began 
to lower towards the top of the loftiest trees, when Moscoso 
and the last of the army arrived. He had strangely loitered 
by the way, allowing the soldiers to scatter in the woods 
and hunt at their leisure, llis advanced guard heard at a 
distance the alarum of drums and the clangor of trumpets. 
With beating hearts, they passed back the word along 
the scattered lines, from one to the other, and soon the 
hindmost rushed to the support of thieir exhausted and crim- 
son-stained comrades. Joined by all his force, De Soto 
formed the best armed into four divis^ions of foot. Provided 
with bucklers for defence, and battle axes to demolish the 
walls, they made a simaltaneous charge, at the firing of an 
arquebuse. Upon the first onset, they were assailed with 
showers of arrows and dreadful missiles. Repeated blows 
against the gates forced them open. The avenues were filled 
with eager soldiers, rushing into the square. Others, im- 
patient to get in, battered the stucco from the walls, and 
aided each other to elimb over the skeleton works. A hor- 
rible and unparalleled carnage ensued. The horsemen 
remained on the outside to overtake those who might at- 
tempt to escape. The Indians fought in the streets, in the 
square, from the tops of the houses and walls. The ground 
was covered with their dead, but not one of the living en- 
treated for quarters. The Spaniards were protected with 
bucklers and coats of mail, while the poor Indians were only 
covered with the thin shield which the Great Spirit gave 
them at the dawn of their existence. The troops entered 
the town in time to save the two priests and their compan- 
ions, who had so long held out against such fearful odds. 
The battle, which now waxed hotter and more sanguinary 



26 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

than ever, cannot be as graphically described as the heroic 
deeds of either side so justly deserve. Often the Indians 
drove the troops out of the town, and as often they returned 
with increased desperation. Near the wall lay a large pool 
of delicious water, fed by many springs. It was now dis- 
colored with blood. Here soldiers fell down to slake the 
intense thirst created by heat and wounds, and, those who 
were able rose again, and once more pitched into a combat 
characterized by the most revolting destiuction of human 
life. For some time the young females had joined in the 
light, and they now contended side by side with the foremost 
warriors, sharing in the indiscriminate slaughter. Heated 
with excitement, smarting with his wounds, and provoked 
at the unsubdued fierceness of the natives, De Soto rushed 
out alone by the gate, threw himself in his saddle, and 
charged into the town. Calling with a loud voice upon our 
" Lady and Santiago ! " he forced his charger over hundreds 
of fighting men and women, followed by the brave Nuno 
Tobar. While opening lanes through the savage ranks 
and sprinkling his tracks with blood, he rose on one occasion 
to cast his lance into a gigantic warrior. At that instant 
a pow^erful winged arrow went deep into the bottom of his 
thigh. Unable to extract it, or to sit in his saddle, he con- 
tinued, to fight to the end of th'C battle standing in his 
stirrups. Every where that mighty son of Spain now 
gorged upon Alabama blood! His fearless bounds filled 
the boldest soldiers with renewed courage. At length the 
houses were set on fire, and the wind blew the smoke and 
flames in all directions, adding horror to the scene. The 
flames ascended in mighty volumes ! The sun went down, 
hiding himself from the awful sight ! Maubila was in ruins 
and her inhabitants destroyed ! 

The battle of Maubila had lasted nine hours. It was 
disastrous to De Soto. Eighty-two Spaniards were slain, 
or died in a few days after the engagement. Among these 
were Diego de Soto, the nephew of the Governor, Don Carlos 
Enriquez, who had married his niece, and Men-Rodriquez, 
a cavalier of Portugal, who had served with distinction in 
Africa and upon the Portuguese frontiers. Other men of 
rank and blood lost their lives in the terrible conflict, some 



DE eOTO's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 27 

of whom died in great agony, being shot in the eyes and 
joints of their limbs. Forty-five horses were slain — an 
irreparable loss, mourned by ihe whole expedition. Ail the 
camp equipage and baggage were consumed in the house 
where the Indians had stored it, except that of Captain 
Andres de Vasconcellos, which arrived late in the evening. 
All the clothes, medicines, instruments, hooks, much of the 
armor, all the pearls, the relics and robes of the priests, their 
flour and wine, used in the holy sacrament, with a thousand 
other things vi'hich a vvilderness could not supply, perished 
in the flames. The Mobilians were nearly all destroyed. 
Garcellasso asserts that above eleven thousand were slain. 
The Portuguese gentleman sets down the number at two 
thousand five hundred killed within the walls alone. As- 
suming a point between the two estimates, it is safe to say 
that at least six thousand were kilh-d in the tOsAn, upon 
the plains, and who were afterwards found dead in the 
woods. These authors also disagree as to the fate of Tus- 
caloosa. The one contending that he was consumed in the 
flames, and the other that he decamped upon the arrival of 
Moscoso, at the solicitation of his people, attended by a 
small guard, and laden with rich Spanish spoils. It is more 
probable that the Black Warrior remained in his capital, 
desiring not to survive the downfall of his people.' 

Upon the ruins of Maubila the Spaniards passed the first 
night, in confusion and pain, sending forth groans and cries, 
that fell upon the distant air like the ravings of the damned ! 
In every direction a sickening and revolting sight was pre- 
sented. In the slowly receding fire, piles of brave Mobili- 
ans cracked and fried upon the glowing coals ! Upon the 
great square, pyramids of bodies, smeared with blood and 
brains, lay still unburnt. Outside the walls, hundreds lay 
in the sleep of death, still hot from their last desperate 
exertions, and copiously bleeding from the large orifices 
made by lances and swords, and discoloring the beautiful 
grounds upon which they had so often sported in their native 
games. All the Spaniards were wounded except the holy 
Fathers, and were, besides, exhausted, famished, and intoxica- 

1 In describing tlie battle of Maubila, I have carefully coDsulted the original 
journals. See Portuguese Narrative, pp. 722-726. Garcellasso, pp. 812-331. 



28 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

ted with the most fiendish desperation. Seventeen hundred 
dangerous wounds demanded immediate attention. It was 
often that a soldier had a dozen severe ones, with barbed 
arrows rankling in his flesh. But one surgeon of the ex*pe- 
dition survived, and he was slow and unskilful. Everything 
in his department was devoured by the terrible element. 
Those who were slightly wounded administered to those 
whom the Indians had pierced deepest. As the soldiers of 
Cortez did in Mexico, they opened the bodies of some of the 
savages, and, with the fat obtained, bound up the wounds 
with bandages torn from the garments of the soldiers who 
were killed. Others rushed to the woods, obtained straw 
and boughs, and formed against the walls beds and imperfect 
covering for the wounded and dying. Although severely 
pierced himself with arrows, and bruised with missiles, yet 
the generous De Soto unselfishly gave his whole attention to 
his men. During that miserable night, many of the unhappy 
Spaniards joined the priests in fervent appeals to their 
Heavenly Father, for the alleviation of their wretched 
condition. 

They remained within the walls eight days, and then re- 
moved to the Indian huts upon the plain. De Soto sent out- 
foraging detachments, who found the villages abounding in 
provisions. In the woods and ravines, Indians were found 
dead and others lay wounded. The latter were treated with 
kindness by the Spaniards, who fed them and dressed their 
\vounds. Females of incomparable beauty were captured 
upon these excursions, and added to ihose who were taken 
at the close of the battle. From them, the Governor was 
astounded to learn the deep schemes which Tuscaloosa 
planned to capture his aigiy, weeks before his arrival at 
Maubila. To the Tallises, who complained to him that 
their Chief had given their people to De Soto as slaves, he 
replied, "fear nothing. I shall shortly send the Spaniards 
back from my country to Tallise in chains, led by your peo- 
ple, whom they have enslaved." 

The Priests, Monks and best informed lay-men, went into 
convention to determine the propriety of substituting corn 
meal for flour in the celebration of mass. They decided that 
bread made of pure wheat, and wine of the juice of the 



DE BOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 29 

grape, were required for consecration. After this, the 
Fathers, in lieu of the chalices, altar dresses, chasubles and 
other sacred ornaments, which had been consumed by lire, 
made some robes of dressed deer skins, erected rude altars 
and read the introiius and other prayers of the mass on 
Sundays and feasts, omitting the consecration. This unusual 
ceremony was denominated the dry mass. 

While referring to the religious exercises of the Spaniards, 
it is proper to allude to some of their vices. Upon the 
whole journey from Tampa Bay to this place, they had 
passed much of their leisure time in gambling. This vice 
was common to all classes; those of rank often bet high, 
staking their money, jewels, horses, effects, and even their 
female slaves! The fire of Maubila destroyed their cards. 
They now made others of parchment, painted them with ad- 
mirable skill, and loaned these packs from one company to 
another, continuing to gamble under trees, upon the river 
banks and in their rude huts. 

The report which De So'o had received upon his first 
arrival at Maubila, that Maldinado and his vet^sels awaited 
him at the Bay of Pensacola, was now fully confirmed by the 
females whom he had captured. Refreshed by this good 
news, which determined him to plant a colony in the wilder- 
ness, he dismissed a Chief of that country whom Maldinado 
had brought into his camp at Appalache Anaica. He had 
always treated him with kindness, and they parted upon the 
most friendly terms. The Chief set out for Ochus. When 
it became known in camp thai; the ships had arrived, joy 
succeeded the sadness which had universally prevailed. 
Some of the most distinguished cavaliers secretly talked of 
sailing from Ochus to Spain, and others t& Peru, each re- 
solved upon quitting De Soto an(i his fortunes. He heard of 
the conspiracy with painful solicitude, and determined to 
ascertain if it was founded in seriousness. One dark night 
he disguised himself and cautiously moved about the camp. 
Approaching the hut of Juan Caitan, the treasurer, he over- 
heard an earnest conversation which satisfied him of the 
truth of what had been intimated. De Soto was s artled at 
the faithless schemers. It altered his plans. He now 
dreaded to march to Ochus, for he well knew that some of 



30 DE BOTO'S INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

these cavaliers had once deserted Pizarro, leaving him on 
the island of Gorgonne. He reflected, ihat his means were 
exhausted, his hopes of finding a gold country, tkus (ar, 
blasted, and that he had nothing to tempt the cupidity of 
recruits, even the pearls, all he had to exhibit of his discove- 
ries, having shared the fate of the other effects. These 
things, connected with a desire to ihu^art the plans of the 
conspirators, influenced him to turn his back upon his ships, 
laden with provisions, clothes, arms, and every thing which 
the whole army needed. 

De Soto became gloomy and morose. Sometimes in the 
midst of his desponding fits, a hope of finding a gold region 
shot across his mind, but like a darting meteor, it exploded 
in darkness, leaving him in deeper despair ! He resolved, 
however, to strike into the wilderness. The wounded had 
recovered enough to march, and he gave orders to break up 
the camp. On Sunday, the 18th of November, 1540, a di- 
rection was assumed to the north. The order fell like a 
clap of thunder upon the unwilling cavaliers. But they 
obeyed, for he threatened to put to death the first man who, 
s^hould even think of Maldinado and bis ships.' The expedi- 
tion traversed an extremely fertile, but uninhabited country, 
called Pafallaya, now embraced in the counties of Clarke, 
Marengo and Greene, and at the expiration of five days pas- 
sed the town Talepataua, and reached another called Ca- 
busto. This was "near a river, wide, deep, and with high 
bluffs."^ The Spaniards had now arrived upon the Black 
Warrior, and near the modern town of Erie. Fifteen hun- 
dred Indians advanced in battle array, shouting that a war 
of "fire and blood" was what they desired. They remem- 
bered the destruction of their friends at Maubila, and they 
were determined to be revenged. Severe skirmishing en- 
dued. The Spaniards drove the savages into the river ; 
some crossed over in canoes and others swam, and on the 

1 De Soto had no doubt determined to settle a colony ia the province of Coosa. 
The desperate resolution, now formed, of affftia plunj,nng into unknown regitms 
•was unfortunate for biai and liis followers, and for th^' Ikistorians of Alabama. A 
colony in Alabama at thai early period would have aflimded many rich historic 
iucidents. 

2 -Etoit gur un fleuve, grand, profond et haut de bord.' Garcellasso, p. S48. 
The American rivers of ordinary tize, appeared large to the Spaniards, and eveu 
ik) aow to all Europeans. 



DE SOTO 8 INVASION OF ALABAMA. 31 

opposite side they were joined by a force estimated at eight 
thousand. For six miles they stretched along the western 
bank, to op[)ose the crossing of I lie army. De Soto occupied 
Cabusto, and was attacked every night by detacljments of 
the enemy, who came over secretly in canoes from different 
directions, and sprang upon him. He at k^igth caused 
ditches to be cut near the landings, in which he posttd cross- 
bow men, and those armed v.'ith arquebuses. Alter the In- 
dians were repulsed three times fiom these entrenchments, 
they ceased lo annoy the Spaniards at night. In the mean- 
time, one bundled men, completed in the woods two large 
boats. They were placed upon sledges, and by the force of 
horses and mules, and vvilh the assistance of the soldiers, 
were conveyed to a convenient landing one and a half miles 
up the river, and launched before day. Ten cavaliy and forty 
infantry entered each of these boats, the former keeping the 
saddle while the latter rowed rapidly across. Five hundred 
Indians rushed down the banks and overwhelmed the voya- 
gers with arrows. However, the boats reached the shore, 
one of them coming to with g!-eat dilliculty. The soldiers, all 
of whom were woundod, sprang out, and headed by ihe im- 
petuous Silvesfre and Garcia, charged the Indians with great 
resolution. A severe conflict continued until the boais re- 
turned and brought over De Soto with eighty men. Joining 
in the fight, the Indians were driven to a distant forest. The 
advanced wing keeping otf the enemy, the whole army soon 
crossed the river. When all uere over, the Indians were 
driven to their first position, which they had strengthened 
with pallisades, and lr<jm whicii they continually sallied, skir- 
mishing with the invaders until the suu was lost behind the 
liills.^ Upon the Warrior, De Soto found a delightful coun- 
try, wi:h towns and villages well supplied with corn, beans 
and other provisions. The next day he caused the boats to 
be brolicn up for the iron which they contained, and the ex- 
pedition marched north, passing through a portion of Greene 
and Pickeus. Af;er live days, they reached the little Tom- 
beckbe, somewhere in the county of Lowndes, Mississippi. 
Here the Indians had collected to dispute the passage. 

1 i'oitugjcit IT^rrative, p. '125, Garceilai.so, pp. 3iS-35-. 



33 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA, 

Having recently suffered so severely in contentions with the 
natives ot Alabama, De Soto felt unwilling to expose his 
army to further loss. Halting two days lor the construction 
of a i^mall boat, he dispatched in it an Indian, who bore a 
message to the Chief, with offers of peace and friendship. 
Immediately upon reaching the opposite bank, the poor fel- 
low was seized and barbarously killed in the sight of the 
Governor. His murderers then rent the air with terrific 
yells and dispersed. De Soto conducted his troops unmo- 
lested across the river, and marched until he arrived at the 
town of Chickasa, in the province of that name. It 
consisted of two hundred houses, and reposed upon a hill 
extending towards the north, shaded by oak and vi'alnut 
trees, and watered by several rivulets. The Spaniards had 
now reached the territory embraced in the county of Yalo- 
busha. The region is described as fertile, well-peopled and 
dotted with villages. The cold weather set in with much 
severity. In the midst of snow and ice, the army encamped 
upon the fields opposite the town, until houses could be 
erected, for here De Soto had deteimined to pass the winter. 
Foraging parties scoured the country, collected provisions 
and captured Indians. These were invariably dismissed, 
with presents for their Chief. 

He at length came to see De Soto, and offered him his 
lands, person and subjects. He returned shortly after, with 
two neighboring chiefs, Alibamo and Nicalaso. The august 
trio gave the Adalantado one hundred aiid fifty rabbits, be- 
sides mantles and skins. The chief of Chickasa became a 
frequent visitor, and De Soto often sent him home on one of 
the horses. Having besought the Gem^ral to aid him in 
overcoming a prominent and rebellious subject, for the pur- 
pose of dividing and destroying the army, as was after- 
wards ascertained, De Soto marched with thirty horsemen 
and two hundred Indians upon Saquechuma, and destroyed 
that place by fire. Upon their return to the cg-mp, the prin- 
cipal Indians were feasted upon the flesh of swine. They 
were pleased with the first dish of an animal never before 
seen, and from that time the place where the hogs were 
kept was often broken in upon on dark nights, and many 
stolen. Three of the rogues were caught on one occasion, 



DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 33 

and two of them put to death. The hands of the other 
were chopped off, and in that painful and helpless situation 
he was sent to his chief. On the other side, the Spaniards 
robbed the Indians. One day, four horsemen, Francisco 
Osario, and a servant of the Marquis of Astorga, called 
Raynoso ; Ribera the pa,ge of the Governor, and Fuentes» 
his chamberlain, entered a neighboring village and forcibly 
carried off some valuable skins and mantles. The enraged 
Indians forsook their town and went into the woods to pre- 
pare for war. The robbers were arrested, and Fuentes and 
Osario condemned to die ! The Priests and some of the most 
distinguished Cavaliers in vain plead lor the pardon of the 
latter. De Soto had them brought out to have their heads 
chopped off, when Indians arrived with a message from 
the chief, informing him of the outrage upon his people. At 
the suggestion of Baltasar de Galligos, the interpreter cun- 
ningly turned it to the advantage of the prisoners. He said 
to De Soto, that the chief desired him not to execute the 
robbers, for they had not molested his subjects. He said to 
the Indian Ambassadors, that they might return home well 
assured that the plunderers would be immediately put to 
death according to the wishes of the chief. The prisoners were 
consequently all set at liberty, much to the joy of the army.^ 
Upon the appearance of March 1541, the thoughts of the 
unhappy De Soto occasionally turned upon pursuing the 
journey. He demanded of the chief two hundred men for 
burthen bearers. An evasive answer was given, and for 
several days the Governor was apprehensive of an attack. 
He posted out sentinels under the supervision of Moscoso. 
One dark night when the cold wind was howling avvfully, the 
Chickasas rushed upon the camp, in four squadrons, sending 
up yells the most terrific, and adding horror to the scene by 
the sound of wooden drums and the discordant blasts of 
Conch shells. The houses of the town in vi^hich the larger 

1 Poor Ortiz never reached his native country, but died in Arkansas. He was of 
great service as an interpreter. Understanding only the Floridian language, he 
conducted conversations through the Indians of different tribes who understood eacii 
other, and who attended the expedition. In conversing witli the Cliickasas, for in- 
stance, he, commenced with a Floridian, who carried the word to a Georgian, the 
Georgian tothe Coosa, the Coosa to the Maubilian, and the latter to the Chickasa. In 
the same tedious manner the answer was conveyed to hjm and reported to De JSolo, 

3 



34 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

portion of the troops now lodged, were set on fire by arrows 
containing burning matches, made of a vegetable substance? 
which shot through the air like flashing meteors and fell 
upon the roofs ! Constructed of straw and cane, the wig- 
wams were soon wraped in flames. The Spaniards, blinded 
by the smoke, rah out of the houses half dressed, and in their 
dismay, knew not the best way to oppose the assailants. 
Some of the horses were burned in the stables and others 
broke their halters, runing in all diiections among the 
soldiers, increasing the unparalleled confusion. De Soto 
and a soldier named Tapier, the first to mount, charged upon 
the enemy, the former enveloped in an overcoat quilted with 
cotton three inches thick, to shield him from the arrows. 
His saddle, which in the haste had not been girted, turned 
with him in one of his sweeping bounds, and he fell heavily 
to the ground, at the moment his lance had pierced a savage. 
The soldiers drove off the Indians, who had surrounded him 
with clubs, and adjusted his saddle. Vaulting into it, he 
charged in the thickest of the enemy and revelled in 
blood ! The Spaniards were seen in all directions to be 
now engaged in a dreadful fight. Many, however, had just 
awoke and now crawled upon their hands and knees out of the 
de>y.ouring flames above them. In a house, at some distance, 
lay t'lie sick, and those who had not recovered from the 
wounds which they had received at Maubtla and Cabusto. 
Hordes of savages pressed upon the poor fellows,' and before 
xhey were rescued, several fell victims. In the meantime, 
the cavaliers, some without saddles and others without 
clothes, joined the intrepid De Soto, and now, the awful wind, 
the flames, the yelis and clagour of arms, made that a place 
frightfully sublime, and a night long to be remembered ! 
Fifty infantry took flight, the first instance of cowardice 
upon the march. Kuno Tobar, with sword in hand, rushed 
before them, and with the assistance of a detachment of 
thirty men under Juan de Guzman, arrayed them against 
the enemy. At that instaat, Andres de Yasconcelos at the 
iiead of twenty Portuguese hidalgos, most of whom had 
served us horsemen upon the African frontier, accompanied 
by Nuno Tabor on foot, forced the savages to retire on one 
isiUe.of the town. At lenytU the Indians (led from the battle 



DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 35 

field and were pursued by De Soto and his troops as long as 
they could distinguish objects by the light of the burning 
town. Returning fx'-om the chase, the Governor found that 
the engagment had resulted in considerable loss. Forty 
Spaniards were killed, among them, the only white woman 
in camp, the wife of a soldier, whom she had followed from 
Spain. Fifty horses were lost, either burned or pierced 
with arrows. Dreading these singular quadrupeds in war, 
the Indians aimed at their entire destruction, and many were 
found shot entirely through in the most vital parts. The 
swine, the increase of which had often kept the Spaniards 
from starving, when hard pressed for food, were confined 
in a roofed enclosure, and a number of them were consumed 
by the fire. De Soto surveyed the scene with deep mortifica- 
tion. He blamed Moscoso with the unfortunate attack. His 
negligence here, reminded him of his tardy advance upon 
Maubila, and in his anger, he deposed his old brother in arms 
from the rank of camp-master, and bestowed it upon the bold 
Baltasar de Galligos. A succession of losses had attended 
him since he crossed the Alabama at Piache. Indeed, from 
his first landing at Tampa bay, over three hundred men had 
fallen by the assaults of the natives. The fire at Chickasa 
swept the few things saved at Maubila, together with half 
their absolute wearing apparel. And now many of the unfor . 
tunate soldiers shivered in the cold with scarcely a vestage 
of clothing. 

In the fit of deep dispondency into which he was thrown, 
De Soto did not forget the duties which a commanding offi- 
cer owes to his suffering troops. The dead were buried 
and the wounded properly attended. The Indians, thick 
upon the plain, and upon the ruined town remained for the 
hungry wolves and birds of carrion. The Spaniards ahan- 
doned the sickening spot, and encamped three miles distant 
at Chickasilla, or little Chickasa, where they erected a forge 
and tempered their swords, seriously injured by the fire. 
They busied themselves in making shields, lances and sad- 
dles. The remainder of the winter was passed in great 
wretchedness. Intense cold and grievous wounds were not all 
they had to bear, but often the natives assailed them at night, 
with the spring and ferocity of tigers ! At sun set they wertj 



36 DE SOTo'S IJtVAStON OF ALABAMA. 

compelled to evacuate thfe town and take position in the 
Held for fear that fire might be applied to the houses. The 
ingenuity of one of the soldiers, devised mattings four 
inches in thickness, made of a long soft grass, in M^hich those 
who were not upon guard, wraped up and were some- 
what protected Irom the piercing air. Often De Soto 
sent forth detachments, who cut down every Indian they 
overtook, yet in a few succeeding nights the savages 
would return and attack the camp. Before day-light on 
Wednesday the 15th March, 1541, Captain Juan de Guzman, 
of delicate form, but indomitable courage, was seized 
by the collar by an athletic Indian, who carried a banner, 
and jerked from his horse. The soldiers rushing up cut 
the bold fellow to pieces. Others dashed after the main 
body of Indians and deep revenge would have been taken, 
if a monk, fearful that they would be led into an ambush, 
had not arrested the charge, by the cry of, "to the camp, to 
the camp." Forty Indianss fell, two horses were killed and 
two soldiers wounded. 

On the 25th of April, 1541, De Soto marched north-west 
through a champaign country, thickly populated, and jour- 
neying twelve miles, hailed in a plain not far from the town 
of Alibamo. Juan de Anasco, with a foraging party came 
in sight of this fortress, which was garrisoned by a large 
number of savages, whose bodies were painted in stripes of 
white, black and red, while their faces were frightfully 
blackened, and red circles bordered their eyes. These, with 
head dresses of feathers and horns, gave them an appear- 
ance, fantastic and ferocious. The drums sounded alarums 
and they rushed out of the fort with fearful whoops, forcing 
Anasco to retreat to the open fields. The enemy, scorning 
th^ inferiority of the detachment, pretended to knock one of 
the warriors in the head with a club, in front of the fort, and 
•swinging him by the head and heels, near a fire, in insulting 
mockery, indicated the fate of the Spaniards, who should 
fall into their hands. The irritated Anasco, sent three 
troopers to the camp, who returned with De Soto at the head 
of a considerable force. He assaulted the fortress of Ali- 
bamo, leading on his men in three squadrons, Commanded 
b}^ Guzman, Avaro Romo de Cardenoso, and the stout Gon- 



DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 87 

Zolo Silvestre. An hundred Alabamas poured out from each 
portal and met the Spaniards. Upon the first encounter, 
Diego de Castro, Loiiis Bravo and Francisco de Figarro fell 
mortally wounded. An arrow struck the casqe of the Go- 
vernor with such force that it made his eyes flash fire. The 
victorious Spaniards forced the Alabamas into the fort, press- 
ing them to death by the united shock of the cavalry and 
infantry, the passes of the gates admitting but few of the Indi- 
ans at once. The soldiers remembered that they had united 
with the Chickasas, and they knew no bounds to the re- 
venge which they now sought. In the rear, many savages 
escaped by climbing over the walls and through the back 
portals, pitching into the river which run by the fort, but far 
below its foundation. In a short time De Soto held posses- 
sion of the interior. Alibamo stood upon the Yazoo river in 
the county of Tallahatchie.^ It was built of pallisades, in the 
form of a quadrangle, four hundred paces long on either side. 
Inner walls divided it into separate parts, enabling the be- 
seaged to retreat from one to the other. The centre wall 
on the back side was immediately upon a perpendicular 
bluff", beneath which flowed a deep and narrow river, across 
which were thrown a few rude bridges. Portions of the fort 
appeared to have been recently constructed for defence 
against the horses. It was decidedly the best fortified place 
yet discovered, except thatof Maubila,but the garrison was 
greatly inferior in numbers to the latter* The outside por- 
tals were two low and narrow for a cavalier to enter on 
his horse. 

De Soto crossed the river at a ford below the plain and 

1 General Le Clerc Milfort, an intelligent Frenchman, lived in the Creek Nation 
from 1716 until 1796. He -wrote a history of the Muscogees or Creeks, and pub- 
lished his work in Paris in 1802. He married the sister of General Alexander 
McGiUivray of the Creek tribe When he arrived in France, Bonaparte made 
him a General of Brigade, and in 1814 he was attacked in his house by a party 
of Russians and rescued by some Grenadiers. Shortly afterwards he died. 

Milfort states that the Alabamas wandered from the northern part of Mexico 
and settled upon the Yazoo, and afterwards removed to the river which bears 
their name. This fact, connected with that of the AUbamo fort, mentioned by 
the journals of De Soto, establishes conclusively that they were tlie same people^ 
The Alabamas, after De Soto's time, settled at the site of the modern Montgomery, 
Coosawda, and Washington, below the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa. 
From these people the river and state took their names. 

" Memoire ou Coup d' oeil rapide sur mcs differons voyages et raon sejour dans 
la nation Creek, par Le Clerc Milfort," pp. 229-288. 



38 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

pursued the savages until twi-light, leaving many of them 
in the sleep of death. Four days were consumed at Ali- 
bamo in attending to the wounded. Fifteen Spaniards died, 
among them the cavaliers first wounded, who were young, 
valient and of the best blood ofSpain. So terminated the battle 
of Alibamo, the last one of the many which De Soto fought, 
which it is our province to describe. We have followed 
that extraordinary adventurer through our state into the 
heart of Mississippi. A few more words must close his 
nomadic march as far as it rests in our hands. 

The Spaniards reached the Mississippi river in May 1541, 
and were the first to discover it, unless Cabaca de Vaca 
crossed it twelve years before in wandering to Mexico with 
his four companions, which is not probable from the evi- 
dence afforded by his journal. De Soto consumed a year 
in marching over Arkansas, and returned to the "Father 
of waters" at the town of Guachaya, below the mouth 
of the Arkansas river, the last of May 1542. He here en- 
gaged in the construction of two brigantines, to communi- 
cate with Cuba. That great man, whose spirits had long 
forsaken him, who had met with nothing but disappoint- 
ments, and who had in the most perilous wanderings 
discovered no country like Peru and Mexico, became sick 
with a slow and malignant fever. He appointed Moscoso 
to the command, bid his officers and soldiers farewell, exhort- 
ed them to keep together, in order to reach that country 
which he was destined never to see, and then closed his 
EYES IN DEATH ! Thus died Ferdinand De Soto, one of the 
most distinguished Captains of that or any age ! To con- 
ceal his death and protect his body from Indian brutalities, it 
was placed in an oaken trough, and silently plunged (into 
the middle of the Mississippi, on a dark and gloomy night ! 
Long did the muddy waters wash the bones of one of the 
noblest sons of Spain! He was the first to behold that 
river, the first to close his eyes in death upon it, and the first 
to find a grave in its deep and turbid channel ! 

Moscoso and the remaining troops again plunged into the 
wilderness west of the Mississippi with the hope of reaching 
Mexico. Departing the 1st of June, 1542, he returned the 
1st December to the Mississippi river, at a point fifty miles 



DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 39 

above the place where Dc Soto died. The Spaniards began 
the construction of seven brigantines. When completed, — 
the building of which required the chains of the slaves, 
saddle stirrups, and every thing which had a particle of 
iron made into nails by the erection of forges, the Indian 
mantles stitched together for sails, and the inner bark of 
trees made into ropes — Governor Moscoso departed down the 
vast stream, the 2d July 1543. The once splendid army of 
one thousand men were reduced to three hundred and 
twenty ! Five hundred slaves were left at the place of em- 
barkation, and Moscoso took with him one hundred, among 
others, the beautiful women of Maubila. Twenty-two of the 
best horses embarked, the others were killed and dried for 
food and so were the hogs, a large number of which still re- 
mained. The Spaniards were attacked in decending the 
river, by fleets of Indian canoes. In one of these engage- 
ments, the brave Guzman and eleven others were drowned, 
and twenty-five wounded. In sixteen days they reached the 
gulf, and put to sea, the 18th July 1543. Having landed at 
Tampa bay, the 30th of May 1539, they had consumed a little 
over four years in wandering through Florida, Georgia, Ala- 
bama, Mississippi and the vast regions of the Arkansas 
Territory. Tossed by the waves, perished with hunger, 
parched with thirst, and several times wrecked by tornadoes, 
the poor Spaniards finally reached the mouth of the river of 
Panuco upon the Mexican coast, the 10th September 1543. 
From thence they went to the town of Panuco. Appareled 
in skins of deer, buffalo, bear and other animals; with faces 
haggared, blackened, shriveled, but faintly resembling hu- 
man beings, they repaired to the church and offered up 
thanks to God for the preservation of their lives. Repairing 
to the city of Mexico, the Vice-Ro}^ extended to them every 
hospitality. So did the elegant Castilian ladies of his court, 
who were enraptured with the beauty of the Mobilian 
females, the high spirited daughters of Alabama !^ 

Maldinado, whom we left at Pensacola bay, awaited in 
vain the arrival of De Soto. He and his distinguished asso- 

1 An interesting account of the expedition from the battle of Alibamo, to ihcir 
eiitni!ice into the city of Mexico, wliicli I liave rapidly glanced at, may be found 
in the Portu yuuse Narrative, pp. 72a-7i5'.'. Garcellasbo de la Vega, pp. 37ll-o57, 



40 DE SOTo's INVASION OF ALABAMA. 

ciate, Comez Arias, at length weighed anchor, and sailed 
along the coast in different directions, hoping to meet the 
expedition at some point. They left signals upon the trees, 
and attached letters to the bark. Returning to Cuba, they 
again sailed in search of De Soto, in the summer of 1541, 
and touching frequently upon the Florida and Mexican 
coast, heard nothing of him. Again, in the summer of 1542, 
they made a similar voyage, with no better success. Deter- 
mined not to give up the search for the lost Spaniards, Mal- 
dinado and Arias, in the spring of 1543, departed on a long 
voyage. The 15th of October they touched at Vera Cruz 
and learned that De Soto had died upon the Mississippi, 
and that three hundred of his army only had lived to reach 
Mexico. When this sad intelligence was conveyed to Ha- 
vanna, every one grieved, and Dona Isabel, long racked 
with anxiety, died of a broken heart ! 

"With this wild" and romantic expedition, the history of 
Alabama begins. It is, however, an isolated chapter in her 
annals. The dark curtain that covered her territory was 
suddenly lifted — a brilliant, but bloody panorama passed 
across the stage — and then all was shrouded in primeval 
darkness."^ 

1 A. B.Mcek's account of De Soto's expedition. Southern, Tuscaloosa, 1839, 
p. 26. 



DE SOTO a INVASION OF ALABAMA. 41 

NOTE. 

DE SOTO UPON THE SAVANNAH IN l540. 

All Indian tradition locates the town of Cutilacliiqui, or CofacIii(jiii — 
where De Soto remained some time with the beautiful Ijidian Princess who 
ruled that country — at the modern Silver Bluff, Barnwell District, South' 
Carolina, on the east bank of the Savannah. 

About 1735, a young Irishman — George Galphin—settled upon the 
ruins of Cutifachiqui and gave it the name of Silver Bluff, owing to the 
Indian tradition that De Soto and his troops searched there for silver iti the 
bed of the river and among the various strata of the Blulf, some of which 
resembled silver ore. Mr. Galphia became a wealthy Indian trader, and 
from his large store-houses in Savannah, Augusta, and at Silver Bluff, sent 
forth numerous pack-horsemen with merchandize into all parts of the 
Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw nations. He was a man of 
great commercial influence in South Carolina and Georgia, when they were 
eoloniep, and upon the first dawn of the revolution became a firm patriot, 
and expended much of his treasure in our cause during the war. He 
left many descendants — among others. Governor Milledge. Dr. Thomas 
Galphin Holmes, an intelligent man in Baldwin county, of this State, is his 
grand-son. 

Silver Bluff for years was the abode of hospitality. Some of the EnglisFr 
and French tourists in America, preceding the Revolution, published work.s 
of their travels, and all of them mention the Honorable George Galphin in 
terms of great respect. William Bartram, in his " Travels," after speaking 
of that gentleman in a complimentary manner, alludes to the tradition of 
the Indians respecting the arrival of De Soto at Silver Bluff. He refers to 
the mounds still prominent at the time the author was there, (to-wit, in 
1773) and in mentioning some fortifications, says they were "constructed 
after the modes of Europefn military architects, which are supposed to be 
ancient camps of the Spaniards who formerly fixed themsehes at this place 
in hopes of finding silver." This quotation is not made to prove by itself that 
De Soto was at Silver Bluff, but it confirms all the Indian traditions upon 
that subject handed down to Mr. Galphin. In reference to the character,, 
wealth and influence of Mr. Galphin, see Bartram'^s travels, pp. 312-313, 
and other pages : see, also, McCall's History of Georgia, vol. 2, pp. 5, 6-1 1 j 
and the Historical Collections of Georgia. 

Confined to the history of a single State, I have been obliged to pass 
rapidly through Georgia with De Soto and his expedition, and have neces- 
sarily omitted many interesting things which occurred upon the Savannah. 
But neither the Portuguese Gentleman nor Garcellosso speak of the attempt 
there to find silver. They had crucibles and men in company well 
acquainted witli mineralogy, and they doubtless, everywhere, as at Silver 
Bluff, examined all strata and deposites which they supposed contained the 
precious metals, and the journalists have neglected to mention it, in theiu 
zeal to relate stirring incidents connected with the natives^ 

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